Breeders worry 'puppy mill' legislation may be too strict

Friday

Jan 23, 2009 at 12:01 AMJan 23, 2009 at 11:22 PM

Caryl Alten is no defender of puppy mills, the large-scale dog breeding facilities where a premium is put more on profit than protection. But she fears new legislation could go too far and put her and other legitimate dog breeders out of business.

Eric Naing

Caryl Alten is no defender of puppy mills, the large-scale dog breeding facilities where a premium is put more on profit than protection. But she fears new legislation could go too far and put her and other legitimate dog breeders out of business.

“They want to do away with breeders – all breeding of all animals,” Alten, a Scottish terrier breeder from southern Illinois, said of supporters of the proposal dubbed Chloe’s Bill, or House Bill 198.

The measure, pushed by animal welfare groups and two state lawmakers from the Chicago area, is named after a black cocker spaniel puppy rescued from a Macon County puppy mill. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says Chloe is one of two surviving puppies from her litter and was found covered in fleas, urine and feces.

Advocates say approval of Chloe’s Bill would go a long way to ensuring proper handling of puppies that come from for-profit businesses.

“Illinois is poised to be on the forefront of overhauling this industry to ensure that dogs in commercial breeding facilities are treated humanely,” said Cori Menkin, senior director of legislative initiatives for the ASPCA.

The expansive proposal would cap the number of breeding dogs a breeder can own at 20, and ban anyone convicted under animal cruelty laws from obtaining a breeding license. The measure tries to address poor living conditions that advocates say exist at puppy mills by requiring breeders to keep dogs in well-heated and cooled facilities with ample cage space, access to outdoor areas and non-wire flooring.

Puppy mills are not as widespread a problem in Illinois as they are in neighboring Missouri, Menkin says, but advocates worry that many mills operate undetected in the state. Breeders who sell dogs directly to the public would for the first time be licensed by the state under Chloe’s Bill.

“There could be a whole lot of unresponsible people in Illinois selling dogs under the table,” said Menkin. “Chloe’s Bill could help stop that.”

All breeder licensing would switch from the Department of Agriculture to the state Department of Financial and Professional Regulation – a move proponents say would lead to better enforcement of breeding regulations.

“Dogs are not agriculture,” Menkin said. “They are not livestock and they should not be treated as livestock.”

Chloe’s Bill also would require dog sellers to disclose to customers the name, address and license number of the dog’s breeder, the dog’s medical history and information about the responsibilities and costs of dog ownership. Menkin says that animal welfare groups only want better breeding practices in Illinois.

“The ASPCA is not against breeding, we just want it done responsibly,” she said.

But breeders say they’re being unfairly targeted.

Lisa Peterson, director of club communications for the American Kennel Club, thinks many of the regulations in Chloe’s Bill are unnecessary and arbitrary, particularly the 20-dog ownership limit.

“There are breeders that have a larger number of dogs and keep them in excellent condition,” she said. “This bill would affect them and not necessarily puppy mills.”

She also questions a requirement that breeders get fingerprinted before getting a state breeding license.

“That seems a little over the top,” she said. “It looks like they’re turning breeders into criminals.”

“These groups are going too far and soon I’ll have to say, ‘That’s it, you can find your purebred dogs someplace else,’” said Alten. “And that plays directly into their hands.”

Rep. John Fritchey, a Chicago Democrat pushing Chloe’s Bill, doesn’t see the measure interfering with responsible breeders but says the opposition is expected as the spring session gets started.

“When you try to regulate an industry that has bad actors or that makes that much money, there will be opposition,” he said. “We will work with all interest groups, but I’m confident the bill will pass.”